Bedstead



` JONATHAN H. PUGH, both of the city of` N UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

`JACOB J. SMITH AND JONATHAN H. PUGH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, J AcoB` J. SMITH and Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bedsteads;` and we do hereby de` clare that the following is a full, clear, and

eXact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichj Figure 1, is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 2, a horizontal section; and Fig. 3, a side view of the platform-adjusting apparatus, like letters indicating the same objects in the different figures.

Our invention relates to a peculiar mode of supporting the four main posts and also,

to a peculiar mode of supporting the platform, and making it adjustable t-o any inclination that may, at any time, be. required.

Referring to `the drawings, A, is the base which rests upon the ioor of the room; B B the four main posts; C, the platform directly upon which the bed or mattress is intended to rest; D D, are four supplementary posts for supporting the platform (C) and E, F, G, H,I and K,a combination of devices for adjusting the said platform to any required inclination.

The base (A) consists of four fiat pieces of timber fitted together by lapping so as to produce a rectangular frame, secured together at the corners by means of a screw tenon formed on the lower end of each of the main posts (B), and which enters a corresponding-hole made through each corner of the frame; thus binding the four horizontal sills of the said base firmly together, and at the same time securing each of the four posts `(B) firmly thereon in a perpendicular position, as shown in Fig. l.

The platform (C) consists of a rectangular frame, (its four outer corners however, being cut away, at @-0, so as to prevent contact with the posts (B) and the same), and is fitted, on its upper side, with spring slats or other of the usual elastic devices for supporting a bed or mattress. This platform is isolated in respect to the four main posts (B-B), and is thus supported by the four supplementary posts (D-D) which are screwed into the two side sills of the base (A)-the platform resting immediately upon their pointed ends when it is fixed in a horizontal position and not designed to be raised therefrom. For the purpose of rendering the said platform adjustable to any inclination that `may berequisite-as when the said bedstead is used for invalid purposesthe platform is connected to the two foot-end supplementary posts, by means of a thin rotated by means of a hand wheel (I), or its equivalent, while supported in bearings or i suitable slots in the two head supplementary posts-a plain disk, or steadying ange (H) being also fixed in the middle (of said shaft) or place of junction of the two screw threads. This shaft carriestwo blocks (F, F,) which have their upper sides inclined in opposite directions and having thereon dovetailed slots adapted to slide in connection with dovetailed projections formed along the under sides of the two inclined planes (e-e) which are fixed on the stationary piece (E E) which is also fiXed across the under side.

of the platform (C) and parallel with the shaft (Gr)-a slot also being cut across it at it, for the admission of part of the disk (H),

whereby the platform is prevented from any lateral motion after it israised from connection with the` supplementary posts below. One of the slats, or a suitable board may also be hinged upon theplatform so as to be supported at any required inclination thereon, by means of a brace and notches, as shown at c, Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of supporting an invalid in a sitting positionif requiredi Operat-ion: The platform (C) being completely isolated in respect to the main posts (B-B), it will be readily perceived that when the shaft (G) `is caused to rotate by operating the hand wheel (I), the said platform can be adjusted with the greatest ease and facility to any required inclination within the limits of the inclined planes (6 6), because by so rotating the shaft (G),

the blocks (F, F,) are necessarily caused either to approach or separate farther from each other, as the case may be, and being connected with the said inclined planes as described, necessarily either force the headend of the platform upwardly, or allow its descent until it rests again upon the supplementary posts beneath; and, there being no side nor end rails as hitherto required to be secured to t-he main posts (B-B) by means of bed screws,7 or otherwise; that this bedstead can be put up, or taken down for removal, with 'greater facility; and that it may even be taken apart and removed with-l out requiring the invalid to be removed from the platform for the purpose.

Besides the advantage of facility in putting up and taking down this bedstead, it can also be made, comparatively, about 25 per ct. cheaper, asrequiring no iron bedscrews, nor squares on the posts for the ymortises, a much smaller sized piece of tini- `ber answers for the same diameter of posts;

sire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

l. l/Ve claimA supporting the four main posts (B-B) of a bed-stead by screwing or otherwise inserting them so that they shall stand securely, without connection with any rails, upon the base (A) which rests immediately upon the floor, as described; the said base frame (A) being held together .at its corners, by means of the tenons on the said posts, all substantially in the manner set forth and described.

2. )Ve also claim adjusting the said platform (C) or its equivalent, to any required inclination as described, by means of the right-and-left screw shaft (G), blocks (F, F), inclined planes (e-c), disk (H), and plates (K, K,) or their equivalents-the saine being arranged, combined and operated substantially as set forth and described.

J ACOB J. SMITH. J. H. PUGH.

Vitnesses:

BEN. MoRIsoN, CHARLES D. FREEMAN. 

